


PlatonicVLDWeek 2 july - 8 July

by TheFoxofFiction



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Caring everyone else, Caves, Cuddles, Fluff so much fluff, Galra Keith (Voltron), Gen, Homesickness, Hurt Keith (Voltron), Hurt Pidge | Katie Holt, I need Coran and Keith to interact more!, Kinda, Magic, Movie Watching, Other, Platonic Week, Puppy pile, Sick Character, Sick Keith (Voltron), Team as Family, Voltron legendary defender Platonic Week, Wing AU, druid Keith (Voltron) theory, kingdom au, lost in caves, missing their family, platonicvldweek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-02
Updated: 2017-07-08
Packaged: 2018-11-22 09:11:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11377092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheFoxofFiction/pseuds/TheFoxofFiction
Summary: Platonic week for Voltron2 July to 8 JulyDay 1 (Jul. 2): Restraint / ImpulseDay 2 (Jul. 3): Traditions / New experiencesDay 3 (Jul. 4): Tandem / SeparationDay 4 (Jul. 5): Home / ExplorationDay 5 (Jul. 6): Temporary / ConstantDay 6 (Jul. 7): Fighting / ForgivenessDay 7 (Jul. 8): Free tropes day / Week 1 leftovers





	1. Day 1 (Jul. 2): Restraint / Impulse

Day 1 (Jul. 2): **~~Restraint /~~ Impulse**

 

It took a while before everyone had gotten used to the relationships, Allura had told them it was normal for the paladins of Voltron to get in a close relationship, some were sexual but mostly they were just platonic.

It took the paladins a while to get the image of king Alfor and Zarkon in a close relationship, out of their heads.

But with the mind melds and all the times of forming Voltron the paladin’s relationship had just grown stronger and no one really noticed when they got so close, it just felt normal.

Only Keith seemed to have a problem with the body contact, after all he wasn’t always a person who liked to be touched without warning. Hunk and Lance had made the mistakes of hugging him without warning, both of them had mourned a bleeding nose or swollen cheek. Keith had blushed hard and stammered out his apologies, while he made it clear with the distance he made between them right after that he still was kind of skittish about sudden body contact.

The only one who got away with sudden hug attacks were Shiro.  
Oh and Pidge did too! But that was only because she was small enough to avoid Keith’s pointy elbows when he jerked back when she suddenly lunged and clung to his back like a koala, almost causing him to fall on his back several times before he caught his and her balance.

It wasn’t that Keith didn’t like the hugs and cuddles after a hard battle, he just didn’t like the sudden body contact, he wanted to know what was gonna happen, and he wasn’t sure how many bloody noses and bruised cheeks it would take before Lance learned, Hunk got the idea after the first time it happened.

-*-

Keith was tired, the previous battle and training had worn him out more than he thought, the wave of tiredness hit him the moment he exited Red. He distantly heard Lance and Pidge groan and demand a cuddling session, with one of Hunk’s magical massages.

Keith yawned as he entered his room dressing out of the paladin Armour into his normal clothes, minus the jacket and belt, he also left his boots in his room, too tired to get them on. He padded on socked feet into the common room where Hunk and Shiro currently were fixing the big nest of blankets and pillows, Pidge and Lance were arguing about what music they were to listen to, who’s phone were they gonna use, Lance’s or Pidge’s. It got to a tie when Hunk decided for them and took his own phone, no one argued about it, Shiro chuckled as he flopped down on the nest quickly ending up with Pidge taking up his right side cuddling close as she pulled a blanket with her, she was dressed in the green paladin pyjamas, but she left her green lion slippers and robe back at the room. Hunk and Lance were also dressed in their respective paladin pyjamas, Lance wearing both the slippers and robe. He sighed and laid down as a starfish between Hunk and Shiro, who was dressed in the bottom of the paladin pyjamas and his undershirt the vest was gone and so were his boots.

Keith sighed yawning again big enough for his jaw to crack, he walked inside, barley hearing the comment Lance made on his appearance, before the impulse about how comfortable they all looked hit him and Keith let his impulse lead, as he fell down over all of them, like a big cat. Lance wheezed at the sudden weight on his stomach, while Shiro coughed. Pidge grumbled and Hunk just laughed as he moved his hands to card thru Keith’s hair, causing the red paladin to quickly turn to goo.

  “Looks like Galra Keith is tired.”

  “Shut up.” Keith grumbled, it was muffled by Hunk’s stomach since Keith had buried his face into the softness. Lance snickered as he sat up before he started to work the knots and the tension from Keith’s back and arms. It didn’t take long before they all heard Keith snore and everyone did a silent high five before they gathered in a puppy pile and fell asleep to the soft sounds that emitted from the music speakers connected to Hunk’s phone.


	2. Day 2: Traditions / New experiences

Day 2 (Jul. 3): **~~Traditions~~ / New experiences**

 

Keith woke up with a headache, a stuffed nose sore throat and his t-shirt and underwear soaked in sweat and his body heavy as lead he knew that he was sick. He groaned in an exhale, almost causing himself to get a chough attack. The alarm that alerted breakfast suddenly bleared from the speakers that were in every room of the castle. Keith groaned again, as he slowly and heavily, pushed himself up from his soaked bed. He didn’t get further than to sitting on the edge, the world spinning before him.

He moved a trembling hand to his forehead, but he wasn’t sure if he was to warm or not. He shivered and tried helplessly to sniffle, but he still couldn’t breathe thru his nose, he grabbed his blanket and pushed himself to his feet, he stumbled and crashed into the wall on the opposite side of the room.

The floor was way too cold, but he was tired and couldn’t remember where he left his boots.

The corridor’s bright lights caused daggers to stab at his eyes and nausea to grow in his stomach, he bundled the blanket over his head to keep the lights away as he slowly walked down the corridors, one clammy hand against the cool metal to keep his balance.

 

  “Oh?! I’m here before Keith? Success!” Lance hollered throwing his arms in the air, he was still wearing his paladin pyjamas along with the lion slippers and robe.

  “Lance, can you _please_ quiet down this early?” Shiro asked, looking rumbled and worn, there he stood next to the coffee machine they had found back at the space mall. Hunk yawned as he ate from some kind of food that looked like cereal along with the milk they got from Kaltenecker, Hunk had surprised the others with the knowledge on how to make cheese, cream and butter from it.

Pidge gave away a strangled and jumbled mess of numbers there she sat staring distantly into the bowl of cereal. Everyone stared at her.

  “Something tells me Pidge was up to late coding.” Hunk chuckled before he looked towards the other door where Allura and Coran entered, looking as regal as ever.

  “Is there any way to fix the graunflaux without having to turn of the werxowlf?” Allura asked him, but before Coran could answer she noted the absence of a red paladin “And where’s Keith? He’s late.”

  “Maybe he’s still training, he do tend to train early now and again.” Hunk said “maybe he didn’t hear the alarm.”

Harsh coughing made them all turn towards the door and see how Keith came moving slowly, the blanket had fallen down to his shoulders during the chough attack. He held his closed fist over his mouth as the other pressed hard to the wall to keep him standing, while the choughs and shivers made the blanket fall more and more towards the floor.

  “Keith?!” Shiro called in alarm. Forgetting his coffee as he hurried over catching Keith just as the red paladins legs gave out. “Keith! Oh god, you’re burning up.” Shiro said as he gently took and pulled the blue blanket around Keith again before gathering him in his arms. Keith gave away a stuffed noise as he let his head rest against Shiro’s neck.

  “…cold…” Keith croaked out.

  “I know, you got a really bad fever Keith, why didn’t you tell us you weren’t feeling well?” Keith was silent for a moment.

  “I just felt tired yesterday before going to bed… and them I woke up-” his voice broke and he tried again to sniffle, which still was to no use.

  “Let’s get you back to bed okay, I’ll try and make some chicken broth for you.” Hunk said and rose from where he sat.

  “Is number 4 okay?” Coran asked moving closer with a raised eyebrow.

  “He sick, but it’s not deadly, we just need to make sure his fever doesn’t get higher.” Shiro answered before he turned to Lance “Lance, see if you can get the blue lion to make some ice, we’re gonna need to cool Keith down.” Lance saluted

  “Got it” he said before turning on his heel and sprinted down the hall. Breakfast completely forgotten.

  “Pidge, go with Coran and Allura to see if you can find any medicine that works for him.”

  “On it.” Pidge said suddenly more alert than before. She and the two Alteans quickly left towards the medical bay. Shiro looked down at Keith who breathed weakly, face pressed against the crock of Shiro’s neck.

  “Come on, buddy, let’s get you to bed okay?” an incoherent noise of approval left the red paladins lips. Shiro changed his hold on Keith slightly before he began to walk back towards the paladin quarters.

-*-

Keith grunted when he felt something cold being placed over his forehead.

  “Oh sorry, did I wake you?” Keith slowly blinked his eyes open to find Allura looking down at him with an apologetic face. Keith opened his mouth to say something when a chough attack hit him, causing him to roll over and curl together as his body tried to cough out his lunges. He felt Allura rub his back and talk, but he wasn’t sure what she was saying. It took a while before the chough attack stilled leaving Keith panting and wheezing.

  “Hunk made some soup and tea if you’re up for eating or just want something warm to drink.

I, Coran and Pidge did find some medicine in the medical bay that works with your genes that will help against your cold.”

Keith weakly pushed himself into a sitting position, Allura helped, she mostly kept him from toppling out of bed if his balance gave out.

Allura handed him one of the pills along with a glass of hot tea. He grimaced as he downed the pill, but the tea made him almost moan in relief as his sore throat got soothed by the warm drink. Allura smiled and looked up when the door opened, Hunk and Pidge looked inside.

  “Shift change.” Hunk said gently before he and Pidge noticed that Keith was awake.

  “Hey, Keith.” Pidge said moving over to the bed, Keith blinked blearily at her. “How you feeling?” Keith made a noise

  “I’m fine.” he croaked out “I rarely get sick-” he was cut off by another cough attack, Allura quickly dove in and saved the mug of tea, when it got dangerously close to slosh over and land on Keith. Pidge frowned slightly before she reached out and brushed the back of her hand against his forehead, stoking his sweaty bangs out of his face. “I call Bullshit, Shiro did say you rarely got sick, but when you did it was bad.” She frowned at him before she removed her hand “You’re still too warm for my liking…”

  “Well then, I will leave you in Hunk’s and Pidge’s care, see you later tonight Keith.” Allura said and rose from the chair and left the room.

  “You’re hungry?” Hunk asked as he took the still warm soup from its place on the nightstand. Keith nodded slowly before his stomach growled loudly. Hunk smiled and helped him eat, because he was shivering too hard to hold the spoon without ending up with soup all over himself. When half of the bowl was finished did Pidge and Hunk decide that the way Keith’s eyes kept dropping and the moment before he opened them again got to big that they let him rest again.

Keith woke several times thru the night, either from coughing attacks or to eat more of the medicine, he barley remembered when he was awake or not, but one thing that was constant and which also took a while before Keith’s feverish brain understood what it was, was the hands that either rubbed his back or brushed fingers thru his hair, bundled him up in new blankets and new dry clothes whenever the fever soaked the previous clothes. Every time he woke up, were there always someone there to make sure he didn’t get worse.

Someone guarding and doting, when he realized it and understood what the others were doing did a smile, weak but still there grow on his lips, and Lance were the one who noticed it first, he had squeaked in surprise, before he cooed. Brushing his cold fingers thru Keith’s thick but soft hair. Keith hummed and leaned into the touch. The cold patch that was placed over his forehead and eyes made him unable to see, but he didn’t need to. Lance had the coldest fingers of all the paladins.

It may have been the thing Keith finally got to experience, people who cared enough about you to use their free time to care for you. He smiled a bit bigger as he let his found family care for him.


	3. Day 3 (Jul. 4): Tandem / Separation

Day 3 (Jul. 4): **~~Tandem~~ / Separation**

 

  “Guys! Can anyone hear me?! Come on!” Lance barked into the com, only static returned. He sighed heavily and closed his eyes, concentrating on his connection with Blue, he felt her, but she was several layers of dirt above him, unable to enter the cave system the paladins gotten lost and separated in when it got clear that an element in the ground interfered with the castles scanners and now even the communication. “Okay then… which way did I come from?” Lance looked around, before he entered another path in the cave system.

-*-

Pidge looked around before she tapped on her gauntlet to get the map of the system to become visible. The 3D map appeared but sparked and glitch before it went out in a burst of blue particles.

  “NO!” Pidge cried out and tried again and again before she shouted out in despair and anger. “I don’t have time for this! I need to find the others again!” she felt Green in her mind trying to calm her. “I know, girl, I know… I just… any idea which way I’m supposed to go?” Green nudged her mind with an idea, and Pidge nodded and followed the thought.

-*-

  “Guys?” Hunk asked in a worried and pitched voice. “Please! Anyone?!” he knew he was gonna have a panic attack anytime soon. “Guys! Please- please answer I’m kind of _panicking_ here!” Yellow rumbled in the back of his mind, reminding him to breathe, to calm down, and think. Hunk took a shuddering breath. “Thanks Yellow… I’m- I’m fine. I- I got this.” Hunk looked around in the cave he walked before he exhaled and began to walk again.

-*-

  “Team? Anyone come in!” Shiro exhaled in unhappiness when static was all that returned. “Seems like we’re on our own…” he muttered to himself as he walked along the narrow path, he felt Black slightly worried in the back of his mind, but she didn’t say anything she just tried her best to guide him thru the system to where the lions stood together at the opening of the cave system.

-*-

Keith glared down at his helmet, before he grunted and put it back on. “Can anyone hear me?” static spat back at him. “I’ll take that as a no.” he felt Red chuckle in his head at that. “Oh so now you’re laughing at me? Can’t expect you to help me out of here.” Red rumble din the back of his head and Keith started to walk again.

-*-

  “Any idea how to work around the interference from the planet, Coran?” Allura asked, from where she stood at her position on the bridge.

  “Afraid not, Princess, the metals in the planet’s crust is too random for us to work around.” Coran replied as he moved and tapped away on the screens at the control panel.

  “What was the material we needed form this planet, now again, Coran?”

  “Zhexlokwood.” Coran said and spun around to smile at her. “As I said, it’s the roots of a tree long dead, but still its roots are in the ground, petrified, but still alive, they say it is perfect to polish the floor and as glue.” Allura gave him a deadpanned look back before she sighed.

  “Try and contact the paladins again.”

-*-

The Lions watched and turned back online when they felt their paladins get close, they saw them exit one cave each and a loud sneeze from their blue cub and a hiss against the light from their red cub made them all chuckle. Their yellow cub burst out crying when he saw the others and their black cub oozed relief, their green cub bunched on her feet as she pulled everyone into a hug.


	4. Day 4: Home / Exploration

Day 4 (Jul. 5): **Home / ~~Exploration~~**

 

Everyone in the castle of Lions missed their family in one way or another.  
A day without any galra attacks or emergency beacons, made everyone start to think on what they missed. Lance often spent time in the pool, Pidge and Coran had helped him figure out how to get to it. He often swam laps, trying to stay under the water for as long as possible, before he cut his way thru the water with a strong power, he had missed swimming like this, it helped him clearing his head more than staring out at the open space late at night, if he closed his eyes he could imagine that he was back on Cuba.

Hunk often tried to make new dishes of food as a way to clear his head from unwanted thoughts, fears or just his homesickness. He had often helped his mom with the food back home. They always made too much, so much of it was given to those who needed it. Coran helped him now and again, Hunk taught him some of his knowledge about food. Coran shared some of his knowledge too, but most of it was not for human’s palates best.

Pidge buried herself with work with her tech in order to not think about what the Galra could do to her brother and father. She also did it to not think about how her mother all alone on Earth with only their dog as company felt, her entire family vanished into space.

Shiro often tested is form on hand to hand in the training room or spent time with Black if he ever started to miss his mother, she must think he was dead, gone for a year and now more, no one knew how long it would take for them to win against the Galra empire. Shiro sighed and straightened up before leaving the training deck to shower before dinner.

Allura sighed, she missed her father, and her planet and people, the Castle wasn’t supposed to be this quiet, and not only residence for seven people and four mice. She turned away from the window when she heard the door open. Coran stood there giving her a sag smile.

  “It’s time for dinner, Princess.” he said, Allura smiled and nodded, following him towards the dining room

-*-

Hunk quickly served the food as the others strolled in, Shiro freshly showered and Lance smelling of the Altean version of chlorine. Pidge were still fidgeting with a small piece of tech there she sat on her seat at the table. Everyone sat down and started to eat. It took them all a moment, but they all stilled when the realized that one person was missing from the dining table.

  “Has anyone seen Keith today?” Allura asked looking at the others.

  “I haven’t seen him since breakfast…” Hunk said with a worried voice.

  “What about the training deck?” Pidge asked.

  “I was there for most of the day, he never showed up.” Shiro said concern growing in his voice.

  “Then what about Red’s hangar?” Lance asked, Coran brought up a screen and tapped away on it before he frowned.

  “Red hangar hasn’t been opened today.”

  “That’s weird…” Pidge said “What about his room?”

  “The door has opened thrice. Two times exiting and once time entering.” Coran responded.

  “Then where is he? If he’s not in Red’s hangar or the training deck?” Hunk worried, food forgotten.

  “Allura?” Shiro asked. She sighed

  “I’ll check the castle cameras…” she brought up a screen of her own and tapped around before she got a map of the castle and the video feed in every room. She tapped around before she exhaled, but a worried look fell over her face. “He’s in the observatory…” she said and looked at the others. Shiro got up and walked over, looking at the video feed.

  “Oh no…” he sighed before he turned to the others. “Hunk get something warm to eat, Pidge Lance, get all the pillows and blankets.”

  “Is he being emo?” Pidge asked but she was moving to follow Shiro’s order.

  “No, I just know from his body language that he’s very lost in thoughts right now.”

-*-

Keith cast a look down at his Marmora blade, the blade his father has given to him, and which his mother in turn had given to his dad… Keith stroked his thumb over the gloving symbol, before he looked out into the vastness of space.

  “Are you out there, mom?” he asked in a whisper. Was she still alive? And why had she left them to begin with? To keep them safe form Zarkon? Or was she guarding the Blue lion? What if the Blue lion was his mother’s lion? What if she was Blue’s previous paladin? How long did a Galra’s lifespan even reach?

He was too caught up in his thoughts that he didn’t hear the door open and six people silently move inside. He jolted when a blanket suddenly was placed over his shoulders and he jerked around to stare up at the other inhabitants of the castle. They all smiled warmly at him.

  “You okay?” Hunk asked sitting down next to him before handing over a warm bowl containing something that looked like ramen. “Here, you missed dinner, I’d bet you’re hungry.” Keith put his blade down and took the bowl as the others sat down and made themselves comfortable with the blankets and pillows.

  “What are you guys doing?” Keith croaked out.

  “What does it look like? We’re making sure you’re not brooding alone.” Pidge said as she sat down in front of him, leaning back until she was resting against his legs, she pulled the blanket around her and smiled, before she took out her computer and started to tap away on the keyboard.

  “What Pidge, said.” Lance chuckled as he stretched before lying down, between Pidge and Hunk. Keith felt a pressure at his back and turned to see how Shiro was smiling at him, having taken place behind him. Allura and Coran made space for themselves where they fit.

  “We’re a team, but most of all, we’re a family, a very weird one, but a family no less.” Shiro said.

  “A bit broken, but still good.” Lance piped up in his best Stitch imitation, causing Hunk and Pidge to chuckle.

  “Thanks guys.” he mumbled, cheeks getting flushed before he started to eat.

  “We’re Ohana, man.” Hunk said pulling Keith close, but making sure he didn’t spill the ramen on Pidge. “And Ohana, means family.” Hunk grinned.

  “And Family means no one gets left behind.” Pidge and Lance said at once. Keith stared at them, with a lost expression.

  “It’s from a movie.” Lance explained “Lilo and Stitch?” Keith looked even more lost “Disney? It’s an old one… from 2002…”

  “It was a long time ago, I don’t think I have watched it either.” Shiro said and smiled. Pidge and Lance’s eyes lit up.

  “Pidge!” Lance said.

  “I have it on my computer!” she said “We can all watch it!”

Allura and Coran looked intruded at this piece of information.

  “I’d love to see it.” Allura said and smiled.

Pidge quickly connected her computer to a screen and started the movie.

At the end of it, all the earthlings and Allura had fallen asleep.  
Coran smiled as he tucked Pidge in better. Shiro had taken most of Keith’s weight but he didn’t look troubled as he brushed his fingers thru the red paladin’s hair in his sleep. Hunk had laid down during the middle of the movie and was snoring softly, Lance laying leaning against his chest, mumbling something incoherent in his sleep. Allura was smiling in her sleep. The mice had joined them during the movie and were now sleeping in Keith’s lap.


	5. Day 5 (Jul. 6): Temporary / Constant

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Druid Keith theory kinda...

Day 5 (Jul. 6): **Temporary / ~~Constant~~**

 

  “ _KEITH_!” he heard them all scream out in fear, but he didn’t have time to consider, he just lunged himself in front of Shiro, in a blind sense of protectiveness.  
Taking the blast of Haggar’s magic right to the chest.

The chest plate shattered and Keith felt a scram tear from his throat when the pain and electricity flashed and tore at his body, he crashed to the floor, his helmet falling off, and body twitching.  
The Pain drowned out the other paladins cries of his name, by the pulse ringing in his ears.  
His fingers started to tingle, and the feeling reminded him off when his hand had fallen asleep. At the same time his vision blurred and grew weirdly discoloured.

 

The others stared at Keith’s crumpled body.

  “Keith!” the others cried. Shiro stared with pale face, Hunk and Lance looked panicked and Pidge looked like she were about to cry. Allura shouted curses and other angry words at Haggar who only laughed.

  “You paladins are so weak.” she turned to the others, a pleased look on her face. “To bad I never tried this earlier, I got to play around with champion a lot but now I have four more from earth to play with.”

A crackle suddenly echoed behind her, and she along with the others turned their attention to behind her.

Keith stood up, his chest plate shattered, but where the magic had hit, no glowing wound showed, even if the under suit had burnt away, his body stood staggered and slumped and his face hung making them unable to see his face. But it was the bolt of uncontrolled magic that hissed and spat from his hand that made everyone including Haggar to gasp for air, Keith’s hand was purple.

  “Impossible!” Haggar gasped just as Keith lifted his head, his face was splotched purple, a big spot was over his eye that was glowing yellow where the violet iris and his pupil should have been, his expression was unreadable. Keith then suddenly narrowed his unfocused eyes towards Haggar before he pushed his hand with the magic forward.

  “I won’t let you hut my family!” he shouted, the magic shouted as it flew forward, Haggar yelped and disappeared into a cloud of mist. The magic hit the shackles that held the other paladins in place, undoing them.

  “Okay, where did the scary witch go?” Hunk asked looking around.

  “Hunk.” Lance hissed. Everyone looked back to Keith who suddenly staggered there he stood, before he crashed forward, Pidge hurried over and caught him just before he hit the floor.

  “Allura? What’s wrong with him?” she looked up at the Altean princess, who was frowning down at the now unconscious Keith.

  “Haggar’s attack must have awoken something in him… I’m not sure, but very few Galra can control that kind of magic… and her attack seemed to bring out his galra genes.”

  “Didn’t Keith fight that strange guy back on the secret base? He was covered in yellow when he got into Green.” Pidge said.

  “Quintessence?” Allura asked.

  “Maybe, I’m not sure.” The green paladin looked back down at Keith. “Maybe it will make him turn back to normal again?”

  “What’s even considered normal, for him?” Lance asked.

  “Let’s return to the castle, and see what happens when he wake up after having spent some needed time in the pod.” Shiro said as they all felt the lions nearness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's very short, because today was emotionally draining.


	6. Day 6 (Jul. 7): Fighting / Forgiveness

Day 6 (Jul. 7): **~~Fighting~~ / Forgiveness**

 

He knew it was his fault, the others didn’t even need to say anything, not that they could anyway, all of them expect Coran stuck in a pod. Keith knew he fucked up, he had been too reckless and now the others had gotten hurt because of that.

He was sitting before the pods, feet tapping with anything but rhythm against the floor. He was fidgeting with this hands, unable to sit still.

  “…Number 4?” he jerked when he felt a hand on his shoulder and heard Coran call him, he turned around to stare up at the older Altean, he wasn’t sure what expression he had, but from Coran’s tired, but worried look he wasn’t sure if he wanted to know. Coran sank down on his heels until he was at eyelevel with Keith. “You should eat.” He said and held out a bowl of food goo.

  “I’m not hungry.” Keith looked away, Coran sighed before he sat down next to the red paladin.

  “It wasn’t your fault.” Coran said. “Accidents happen-”

  “HOW IS IT NOT MY FAULT?!” Keith barked shooting to his feet “I was reckless! If I hadn’t done that _stupid_ stunt with Red, they wouldn’t be stuck in pods right now-!” Keith’s voice cracked and vanished as he huffed harshly for breath, tears burned his eyes. Coran gave him a sad smile, but his eyes were warm but old.

  “You care about them.”

  “Of course- I do!” Keith snapped thru a sob. He sniffled harshly and rubbed angrily at his eyes that had betrayed him with the sudden decision at creating salt water. “They’re the closest I have to family-” Keith cut of when Coran suddenly hugged him. Keith stiffened, Coran placed his jaw atop of Keith’s head and sighed.

  “Then forgive yourself, Keith. The others won’t blame you, we all know you’re reckless when you know you don’t have to worry about the safety of the others, this time you knew too late that they ended up in the after match. It wasn’t your fault.” Keith sniffled harshly before he slumped hard against Coran’s sturdy frame, arms hanging at his sides, too tired to lift them. “King Alfor if he met you, would have been proud, after all he was the previous Red paladin. And Red choose you as her paladin.”

  “Was he really the red paladin?” Keith asked in a weak voice.

  “Yeah, he had his moments of recklessness, but those were mostly when he was younger, he learned to control himself as he aged. But you’re still young, all of you are still young, and-” Coran chuckled. “I think Red is very happy to have a young cub again, she loves the recklessness, but she is one protective lion.”

  “I know.”

 

In the end the two sat down again, Coran smiled when Keith finally fell asleep.

Coran looked up when the pods opened, and Allura and Shiro were the first to exit, followed by Pidge and Hunk, and Lance. They all looked a bit disorientated before they caught sight of the Altean advisor and their red paladin.

Keith woke up with the feeling of his body being asleep.

  “Keith, why did you have to fall asleep with your stupid armour, it’s uncomfortable.” He heard Pidge grumble. He was just about to fall asleep again, before his brain processed the words and his eyes flew open to find the others sitting in the pod room, blankets over their shoulders and bowl of food goo in their hands. Pidge was leaning against his chest.

  “Morning buddy.” Lance said and grinned at him. “You look like shit.” Keith just gaped at him.

  “Hey, be nice to him, you’re not looking that good either.” Hunk replied. a squeak left Lance as he placed his hand on his chest and gave Hunk a betrayed look.

  “How dare!” Lance barked “I’m fabulous!”

They weren’t angry, they didn’t even mention anything about the cause to why they were put in the pods. Keith sent a look to Coran who smiled back.

  “I told you, didn’t I?” he mouthed. “They’re not angry.”


	7. Day 7 (Jul. 8): Free tropes day / Week 1 leftovers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  _Everyone from the kingdom Terra was born with wings. A small country but still very diverged with several deep forests in the north, big canyons and steep valleys in the south and open skies and lands between, the kingdom was diverse and so were its people. Those who lived out in the open field had bigger wings than those in the forest, and those in the canyons mostly took to glide flying in the wind currents, making their wings long but thin._  
>  _The small kingdom’s borders were with the wingless but magical Alteans in the big kingdom Altea, and cave digging Balmerans from the kingdom Balmera that were the doubled size of Terra._  
>  _Then there were the Galra Empire who had concurred most of the known land and was still growing and concurring the smaller and bigger kingdoms, it was still growing like a disease, one that had been able to spread unstopped for years._  
>  _But there was now a group who fought to defeat the Empire, a big mix of rebels from all over the land. The leader were the queen of Altea and her advisor, the last Alteans known to still be alive. Some of the Balmerans who helped them, then there were the five Terrans._  
>  _But only four of them had wings_

 

Day 7 (Jul. 8): **Free tropes day ~~/ Week 1 leftovers~~**

 

Keith knew he had to do something, Pidge was lying unconscious on the dirty stone floor in the fortress. Her brown wings with green striped primaries and secondaries lied spread out from her back.

  “Nowhere left to run, fledgling.” one of the galra goons said in a sneer, Keith looked around in the old room, the doors were blocked and the windows were a no, they were on the third level in a room that faced towards the cliff that went down to the ocean.

But he had to do something, unless he wanted him and Pidge to end up in Sendak’s claws.

It would hurt, but he knew one way they would get out of here, if only the winds and gravity would be kind to him. A twinge of pain hissed at his shoulder blades at the thought of brining fourth his wings, which he kept hidden for so long. Keith swallowed before he grabbed Pidge from the floor, mindful of her wings. He then took a deep breath and started to run towards the window.

  “Are you out of your mind!” he heard one of the goons shout, but Keith didn’t care as he started to mumble the spell his mother taught him. The lead that held the coloured glass together shattered as he kicked a bucket at the glass, he jumped and kicked forward from the windowsill. Then weightlessness took them, before gravity started to pull them down, she was one greedy mistress. The wind made his eyes water, but he was still mumbling the spell and then closed his eyes as intense pain shot form his back as the magic that hid them was broken and his bright blood red wings sported out from his back, tearing at his shirt. The wind caught his wings and he started to glide.

  “So one of them are still alive. Send word to lord Zarkon that one of the redwings are still alive!” a good shouted from the window.

-*-

Keith flew out over the land, trees and grass flew by under him, the pain only grew worse.  They hadn’t healed right after that, and he had kept them hidden ever since, after all what kind of Terran was he who couldn’t fly.

He knew where the rebel camp were, he just needed his wings to carry him there, before he succumbed to the growing pain that first has just been a uncomfortable itch, now it burned like someone was burning him. He didn’t feel Pidge stir nor hear her confused noise at the sight of the red wings.

  “K-Keith?” she turned her head to stare at him, head still jumbled from the hit she had taken. Keith didn’t have wings so how were they flying? “What’s going on? Why are there ugly wings on your back?”

The camp came into sight and he saw the bright yellow wings of Hunk and the blue speckled wings of Lance clearly thru the blur that was the world at the moment, he thought he saw Shiro’s black and purple wings too.

Keith knew he was losing the fight against the pain and steadily growing darkness that was starting to take over his vision. He got closer and he wasn’t sure if he called out for Shiro to catch or not as he let go of Pidge who shrieked at the sudden weightlessness before she fell and crashed into Hunk who stumbled, flapping his big wings to keep balance. Shiro was trying to catch up with Keith who knew he better get ready to land, but just as the thought crossed his mind lost he the fight with the pain and his wings went limp and he crashed to the ground, tumbling around and spinning before he came to a halt, his red wings spread out, but they were ruffled and it was clear to the others as they hurried over that they hadn’t bene groomed in years, old feathers clung to them along with hurt and broken ones.

  “Oh by the winds…” Shiro gasped as he saw them, he sank down next to Keith and gently picked him up, Keith’s face was a grimace of pain, eyebrows scrunched together and eyelashes twitching, and his teeth were bared in a grimace. “Keith!?” Shiro called but he got no reply, Shiro gently lifted him from the ground a pained whimper left Keith along with a sharp exhale. “Lance, get Allura, **now**.” The blue winged boy nodded and hit hard with his wings as he shot of towards the tents. Shiro and Hunk quickly followed the best they could, Hunk trying to get a disorientated Pidge to calm down, while also worrying about Keith’s far too pale complexion.

Allura gasped when she saw Keith.

  “I never thought I’d see their kind again.” She said in surprise and worry. “I thought Zarkon whipped them all out.”

  “Allura, what are you talking about?” Lance asked looking at her.

  “Keith’s wings… they’re red, and not speckled with colour like the rest of you, but fully red, every feather. There was only one family line in the past who had red wings, and they were the king’s bodyguards, they were extraordinary flyers and fighters.” Coran said as he appeared behind Allura, followed by Shay. “I’m mostly curious to how he hid his wings, you Terrans doesn’t have magic.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long fic underway :D   
> read it now: **[Wings of Rust](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11597799/chapters/26068659)**


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